Alleged battle for throne.

BETROTHED TO THE CROWN PRINCE.

Chapter 2

Prince Ace Thompson

Standing in the balcony of my room, I stare up at the beautiful and bright sky, many thoughts running through my mind.

Guess what day it is today? Well, today is the day I, prince Ace, the son of Emperor George of Blue Knight kingdom, will be crowned as the future king of the Blue Knight Kingdom.

Taking a deep breath, I throw my head back. I'm scared of so many things. I don't know if I will be able to rule my people and be a good king to them when I finally become the king. I'm scared that I may not meet their expectations, scared that the burden will be much on me, but who says that my fear can do anything? I have to do this, anyway.

Being the first son out of the four children of Emperor George, the responsibility of keeping the family together has been shifted on me just when I turned eighteen. It's hard, trying to maintain peace between my step brother, my brother, and my sister. You can imagine the stress, right?

My name is Prince Ace Thompson, the first son of Emperor George. Our mother died seventeen years ago, immediately after she gave birth to her last child, princess Alexa. I have a younger brother, Axel, birthed by my mom, and another brother from the emperor's present wife. I mean the empress now.

All I have been doing for the past twenty-four years is fight, learn to fight, learn to be a good king in the future, and that is it. I was raised to be nothing, but a warrior, and now, I'm finally going to be crowned.

Still lost in the train of thought, the sound of the footsteps drawing close behind me pull my attention, and I tilt my head to find Max, my bodyguard and best friend, walking up to me elegantly. Max has been my bodyguard since I turned fourteen, and he became my best friend after. He is one person I trust so much with all my heart, because why not? He gave me every reason to, and I never hesitated to do it.

"You don't look too bright, is everything alright?" He asks as soon as he gets to where I'm standing, and I nod my head, even though it's obvious that I'm not fine. I don't just want to bother anyone about my troubles. At least not now.

"I'm fine. Just... Nervous..." I confess to him, and he nods his head slowly.

"I understand how it feels, so it's fine. You will get over it eventually," He assures me, patting my shoulder.

"Thank you," I smile at him faintly.

"The guests are already arriving in the palace one after the other, and soon, the royal hall will be filled up with people. Don't you think you should get dressed already?" He suggests, and I sigh briefly.

"I will," I reply to him, and he nods his head.

"In any case, let me know if you need anything later. I'll be just by your doorstep. For now, I need to take care of something in the palace. See you later," He pats my shoulder before he walks away, leaving me to sort myself out.

Taking a deep breath, I turn to go to my room to get dressed for the coronation, but I stop on my track when I spot Axel, my younger brother walking up to me with a deep frown on his face.

Axel is my twenty-three years old brother, but we are not so close for some reasons best known to him. Growing up, I have always tried to do whatever it took me to be close with him, but what the hell was I supposed to do when my stubborn brother doesn't even want me?

"Axe..."

"We need to talk, Ace," His voice sounds rather rough and angry, as he walks past me to stand in the balcony, leaning over the rail.

"Are you ok?" I ask, worried. Although he's always like this whenever we are together, but I'm still always worried about him.

"Yes, I'm fine," He replies to me casually.

"Alexa, where is she?" I ask about our younger sister, but he just rolls his eyes. I was expecting that reaction from him, anyway. He doesn't like Alexa, the same way he never liked me.

"I'm not here because of that..." He pauses, and I sigh briefly.

"The throne... I want it," He finally releases the bombshell, and for some seconds, I freeze on the spot, while staring at him in confusion. His words ring in my head for some minutes, before I finally find my voice.

"What did you say, Axel?" I ask to be sure my ears didn't hear wrong, but he fucking said it again.

"Later at the royal hall, when father wants to crown you as the future emperor, I want you to reject it, and ask him to crown me instead," He says to me foolishly, and I slowly clench my fists beside me. I have always known him to be stubborn and determined, but I never knew he will go to this length to spill such nonsense. What the hell is he even thinking?

"Are you out of your mind, Axel?" I finally ask him, and he scoffs.

"Does it look I am? If it is, then I am not. You have always gotten everything you wanted. Father gave you and your useless sister all the love and attention in the world, and ignored me like I was never his son. Is this too much to ask?" He utters with disrespect, and I bite my bottom lip. What the hell is he saying now? When the hell did father ignore him?

"What are you saying, Axel? Just shut it! You call your sister useless, are you out of your mind?" I snap at him, trying so hard to control my anger.

"Or what? You will beat me up for calling her a useless thing? Isn't that what you all are? You are selfish, greedy, and wants nothing, but power. You don't even love me. All you want is fucking power!" He yells at me this time, and I bite my lip. If it were to be someone else that said those words to me, I wouldn't have think twice, hurting them, but Axel? I can never hurt him.

"What are you saying, Axel? Listen to me..." I try to touch him, but he shakes his head and step away from me. All I see in his eyes is pain, anger, desperation, and hatred. But what the hell have I done to deserve those look?

"If you don't do as I seek, then forget calling me your brother, ever again!" He finally says before he walks away, while I stare at him until he's out of my sight.

What the hell just happened?